(Scene 1)
They sat in the living room. The baby was sleeping, Riley and Lilith were still outside, and Gerald's mouth was still dropped.
"So…" Phoebe looked over to Helga and smiled. "How's Chicago?"
"Chicago?" Gerald repeated. He had been doing that a lot.
"It's ok, you know working around the clock is a bit hectic, luckily got my vacation time."
"Helga's a psychiatrist." Phoebe smiled at her husband.
"…Helga?" Gerald was amazed, if not in pure shock of the blonde bombshell sitting across from him. She looked at him and shook her head.
"What the hell is wrong with you?"
"Nothing!" Gerald said getting defensive. "I mean… I kinda thought you were dead."
"You what?" Phoebe and Helga said in unison.
"I don't know! I mean you just disappeared after high school."
"For college!" Helga snarled. She stared at him and then casted her eyes downward.
"You baka." Phoebe mumbled.
Gerald opened his mouth but closed it as a boy with wild blonde hair, clear blue eyes, a knowing look in his eyes, and Gerald's four year old daughter's hand in his.
"She said she was tired." The boy said, smiling at Phoebe.
"That's so sweet… you saw her, brought her in, here," Gerald reached into his pocket and pulled out a five. He handed it to the boy and smiled, taking Lilith and turning to Phoebe. "You left her outside?"
"…Gerald…" Helga smiled sweetly as Gerald turned to her. She stood up and placed her arm around the boy's shoulders as she flicked her long hair from her own shoulders. "This is Riley, my son."
"You have a son?" For the second time in an hour Gerald's jaw hit the floor. He stared from Helga to Riley and back to Helga. "Duuude…"
"Hi Mr. Johanson… so… um… here." Riley looked nervous, handing the money back to Gerald. "It would be a bad time to mention you're my godfather wouldn't it?"
"I'm a godfather?" Gerald looked on the verge of a mental breakdown.
Helga sighed and sat back down, pulling Riley to sit next to her. "Gerald, this little issue that you're having is going to have to be pushed to the back of your mind. Riley and I are going to stay here, whether you knew that or not is irrelevant, I just… I want this trip to be relaxing and comfortable. Ok?"
Gerald looked at her and then at the boy sitting on his living room couch. There was something there, but he couldn't put his finger on it. He looked back at Helga and took her in.
She had to be 5'6", at least. Firm body, developed over the course of a decade. Her hair was long and cut in layers falling over her long face. She no longer bared her infamous uni-brow but instead two perfectly manicured lines. She wasn't wearing much make up, and was wearing expensive looking clothes. Her eyes were the bluest he had seen in a while, at least since high school. Her creamy complexion had peach colored tones. Her lips were pressed together, as her slender arm held her son close to her.
Gerald closed his eyes and reopened them. He didn't dare speak, not sure of what Helga was now like on the inside. He nodded his head and then looked at Riley and smiled.
"So?" Gerald started as Riley looked at the tall, dark skin man with the crew cut and athletic muscles. "You into sports?"
(Scene 2)
"I really don't want him going out without me, Gerald." Helga said as she sat in the office, attempting to check her email.
Gerald who was sitting on a nearby chair rolled his eyes. "Why not? The kid is ten, come on, at ten we were wandering the streets, saving the world… come on."
"And looked how wonderfully we grew up." Helga spat. Gerald looked at her, slightly shocked by her shift in tone. "I'm sorry… look I don't… it's complicated, just, please." Her blue eyes burned straight into him.
A sense of deja vu hit him as a he recognized the icy blue stare.
"What?" A younger Helga stated. She looked up from her book and stared at the Basket ball captain, with his muscles showing through his shirt and his "I'm too cool" smile.
"I just wanted to say how lovely your hair looks today." He smiled, showing his white, flossed teeth.
Helga reached up and delicately touched her hair that swung in a short ponytail. Her mind was racing, trying to figure out what was going on. "What do you want Johanson?"
Gerald's smile faltered as her tone shifted from confused to commanding. "I need help with English. If I get one more "F" I'm off the team. I hate English."
"Come on, it's only just your first language. Why can't you ask Phoebe?" Helga returned to skimming over the book that she had been previously reading.
"Because the last time I studied with Phoebe she threw a book at my head and sat on me." Gerald said, sitting across from the blonde.
"Aw, that's sweet." Helga smiled sweetly, then returned her bright blue eyes at her book.
"Helga, please! I promise I'll do anything you want!" Gerald begged. He knew that she didn't even have to pay attention to the class to get an "A", hell she didn't have to come to class and she'd still get an "A".
"I don't want anything." Helga mumbled. Gerald's eyes moved back and forth.
Damn not being good at English.
A light bulb suddenly appeared over his head. "I'll get you a date with Arnold."
Helga's eyes moved from the book to the jock's beaming face. "Excuse me?"
Gerald ignored the ice in her tone and leaned in his chair. "It's a known fact that you have some type of little fling with our beloved Arnold. So if you help me to get an "A" on my next test, I'll get you a date with Arnold."
"I don't want a date with Arnold, Gerald. I don't…I'll help you, ok? Consider it a favor for Phoebe." Helga returned to her book.
"But… why wouldn't you want a date with Arnold? I mean…"
"Look." Her blue eyes bore into him, they were the bluest he had ever seen. "It's complicated, just, please. A favor for Phoebe. Can I please get back to reading? I'll see you during English." She continued to stare at him. Blue demanding brown, or was it begging?
"Ok Helga, I won't take Riley out on the town." Gerald said. "It be boring anyway. Rhonda and her two kids are off in London till school starts back up. Nadine is on Safari with Lila, Stinky, and Brainy. The only people we could probably even chill with is Harold and Patty, Sid, or Arnold." Gerald shrugged, waving the matter off.
"Arnold?" Helga said, not moving her eyes from the computer screen.
"Yeah, he runs the boarding house. His grandfather is still running strong, as well as his grandmother, just he doesn't want that type of stress on them, ya know?"
"Yes, of course." Helga looked at Gerald, shutting the computer off. "How… is he… Um…"
"He's not married, if that's what you're trying to ask. Lila and him almost got married but you know her. Other then that, he's a sad bachelor with a dead end job." Gerald smiled slightly.
"You two still close?"
"He was my best man, god father to Lilith, I'm seeing him tomorrow, yeah we're still pretty close."
"Where are you seeing him?" Gerald noted the sudden anxiety that was seeping through Helga, but ignored it for the moment.
"He's coming over here and then we're taking the kids to the park. Hey, if there's two adults can Riley come?"
Helga stared at him, her eyes were on the verge of jumping the edge of the cliff, but her other features were calm and focused.
"You can not tell Arnold I'm here."
"Why?"
"You just can't." Helga stated.
"Helga." Gerald looked at her, confused.
"Gerald, as a favor to me, do not tell Arnold I'm here." With a quick turn, Helga walked out of the office. Leaving Gerald standing dumbfounded.
(Scene 3)
Helga laid on the bed in the guestroom. She was happy that Riley decided to take the futon in the office, giving them both space. She knew by the end of the night the boy would find himself in her room. He was never good at sleeping somewhere he wasn't familiar with.
There was a knock at the door that made Helga curled her lips in a smirk. She looked at the clock.
"Time of death, nine thirty." Helga mumbled. "Come in!"
Her smirked turned into a genuine smile when she saw her best friend's black locks walk into the white and blue bedroom.
"Hey." Phoebe smiled, sitting on the edge of the bed.
"Hey." Helga smiled as she shifted in the bed so Phoebe could lie next to her. They could stare at the ceiling and talk, like they use too.
Phoebe leaned up against the pillows and placed her hands behind her head, like Helga. Silence enveloped the room, as they counted the bumps on the popcorn ceiling.
"So, I heard about you forbidding Gerald to take Riley out with him." Helga rolled her eyes.
"Phoebe, I know you get it…"
"I do get it, I think it's a good idea, Riley's a smart kid. All he would have to do is look at him and know instantly who his father is. And there would be hurt for everyone."
"You think I should tell him."
"Well yes, but maybe it be best for you to talk to his father first. I mean, come on, he's not very aware of the situation at hand."
"I just don't want Riley to get hurt." Helga sighed and then covered her face with her hands. "Where the hell did it get so confusing?"
"I don't know." Phoebe rested a hand on Helga's shoulder. "I wish I could help, but, I don't even know the whole story."
"He said it was mistake, it never happened, I mean, I can't have him tell my child that." Helga said. Phoebe nodded her head, noting the tone of Helga's voice.
"Well, talk to him, you never know." Phoebe smiled.
"We'll see. Tomorrow I'm taking Riley to my mom's."
"Convenient." Phoebe smirked.
"You forgot to tell me you bought ice cream." Helga said looking at her.
"I didn't have to buy ice cream. Ice cream has always been here."
"…He never left?"
"How was he suppose too?" Phoebe smiled slightly. "You were the only one who got away Helga. Even with me in Connecticut, I never really left here."
"I like thinking your dramatic." Helga smiled. Phoebe nodded and smiled back.
"If I remember correctly, you're the reigning drama queen."
Phoebe stared into the girl's room mirror, sighing as her short hair fell around her face. "I shouldn't have cut it so short."
Helga applied her lip balm and then gently ran her fingers threw her own blonde locks. She looked over to Phoebe and gently tossed her hair up. "I think it's cute."
"We're juniors in high school, who does cute anymore?"
"What do we care?" Helga shrugged. "Come on, we cut history everyday for a cigarette break."
"How does that support your point?"
"When have we cared what was in or not?"
"I don't care if short hair is in or out, I'm just stating I'm tired of being cute."
"Uh huh." Helga straightened out her jean jacket and smiled as she gently played with the black belly ring she had gotten over the weekend. "I love this thing."
"You would." Phoebe said, grabbing her book bag and walking out the girl's bathroom. Helga in tow, still playing with the ring.
"Like you don't love yours." Phoebe turned her head and stuck out her tongue, revealing a silver stud in the middle of it. "That's cute Phoebe, c-u-t-e, cute."
Phoebe glared back at her and opened her locker. Helga turned around to face her own locker, ending up on the floor.
"Sorry Helga." She looked up to see a hand in front of her face and two sea-green eyes looking at her apologetically.
She took the hand and stood up. "What's my morning without running into you, Football head?"
"I guess it be a pretty bad day." He smiled coyly and continued his journey to homeroom.
"I loathe him."
"You do not." Phoebe mumbled.
"I so do." Helga snapped. "He is the bain of my existence."
Phoebe rolled her eyes and shook her head. "You are such a drama queen," she stated dryly.
"Damn straight!" Helga said, her eyes watching the boy with the corn flower hair walk down the hall.
"Maybe I'll talk to him tomorrow." Helga said. Phoebe snapped out of her revenue and looked at her best friend.
"No you won't."
"Yeah, no I won't."
(Scene 4)
Helga sat in the large living room, watching her mother fuss over Riley.
"You look so much like your mother!" Miriam was beyond happy to see her youngest daughter and grandson. Helga rolled her eyes.
Everyone said that Riley was her spitting image, she never saw it, ever. She only saw how he resembled his father, on the outside and the inside. There were days were she had to stop herself from calling her only son his father's name.
"Thank you Grandma." Miriam smiled and gently pinched his cheeks. Helga had to admit ever since the drinking stopped and Miriam got back into the work force, she was a better person.
"Where's dad?" Helga asked, leaning into his chair.
"He'll be home in a few minutes. I'm happy I could have had time with you two to myself though."
"Oh trust me, I'm grateful myself." Helga smiled.
"Miriam!"
"Bob, guess who came to see us?"
"Who?" The man stood at the entrance of the living room. Helga looked over at him. Wrinkles adorned his tired face. His eyes were dull, as his hair was as gray as ever. Miriam had aged so gracefully, she still looked thirty-five, Bob looked over seventy, even though he was about sixty-five.
"Hey Bob." Helga smirked.
"Girl?"
"Helga, dad." Helga shook her head as Bob looked over to Riley. "Riley this your grandfather, Bob Pataki. Bob, this is my son, Riley."
"You have a kid."
"Yes…" Helga said slowly.
"You got married?"
"No…"
"Boyfriend?"
"No…"
"How old is he?"
"Ten."
"… Ok then." Bob shrugged and ruffled Riley's hair as he walked into the kitchen.
Helga blinked, she wasn't sure what just happened, but if she were to guess Bob had gone into the kitchen to get some beer and to do some math in his head.
"Wait, you were eighteen?" Bob said coming back into the living room a cold beer in his hands.
"Yes Bob, I found out I was pregnant with him two months after I got to Chicago." Helga sighed. Riley had heard the story and lived through the sacrifices his mother had made, he wasn't ashamed of her, he was actually proud.
"How come… you never… but I mean…"
"I told you I was going to be ok, dad, and if that meant giving up a few things, raising a child, and becoming a very successful psychiatrist, I think I did ok."
Bob let his mouth hang open. He looked at Helga, then Riley, then Miriam, and back at Helga. It always seemed to end with Helga. He then cleared his throat and sat on the armchair across from Helga.
"So, I'm a grandfather?"
"Bob, Olga has three kids, you've always been a grandfather."
"Yeah, but I never knew I was a grandfather for so long."
"Well, now you know." Helga said, looking at him.
Bob looked at Riley and gave a half smile. "Well, at least he's better looking then Olga's three."
A laugh broke out into the room, clearing whatever tension out. Helga was grateful; she'd have to thank her mother or Riley for laughing at the joke. She noticed, however, that Miriam and Riley's mouths were closed, and Bob was simply staring at her. She realized that it was her own laughter filling the air of her childhood hell.
This made her laugh harder.
(Scene 5)
Helga got out of her car after parking it across the street from Phoebe and Gerald's house. She smiled as Riley raced across and stood at the bottom step of the stoop.
She sighed; noting it had been a pretty good day. Bob and Miriam were excited to see their grandson, as well as their daughter. They had lunch and dinner together and Bob even slipped Riley some money. Which would be put in the bank almost immediately. Bob was going to take Riley and Olga's son to a baseball game in New York over the weekend, and Miriam had planned a lunch and shopping date with her two daughters.
There was shock with the whole thing, but Helga had decided ten years, was ten years. And people change.
She slid the key Phoebe had given her into the door and walked in. Riley smiled as Lilith ran over to him and jumped into his arms.
"Let's go play." Lilith squealed, as Riley placed her down. She grabbed the older boy's hand and raced up the stairs. Helga smiled and placed down her purse.
She looked up to see a tall man, 6'2" or so it seemed, with unruly blonde hair, slightly built frame, sort of round-ish face, and two sea-green eyes.
"I'm sorry, can I help you?" His deep voice contrasted with his soft features.
It was finally Helga's turn to drop her jaw. She stared at the man, taking a sharp breath in. She opened her mouth ready to scream, instead five words, five lethal words spread with venom poured from her pretty cherry blossom lips.
"I'm going to kill her."